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1985 Map of Big Rapids

Name: 1985 Topographic Map of Big Rapids
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1985
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1985

About this map

The Muskegon River serves as the central artery for this mid-1980s landscape, winding south through Big Rapids and into the Rogers Dam Pond. The presence of Ferris State College marks the town's character as an educational hub, while the surrounding townships of Green, Colfax, and Austin transition into a dense network of kettle lakes and wetlands. To the north and east, the Haymarsh Lake State Game Area and Pere Marquette State Forest define the wilder, recreational geography of the region.

Legacy industrial and transport patterns are visible in the numerous Gravel Pits and the long Old RR Grade that cuts through the terrain. Notable water bodies such as Young Lake, Clear Lake, and Bergess Lake are interspersed with smaller features like Gooseneck Pond, illustrating the glacial topography typical of Mecosta County. Local utility and communication infrastructure, including the Radio Tower WBRN and the Water Filtration Plant, anchor the developed corridors near the river.